Stoker



W. T. CAPPS Feb. 4, 1936.

STOKER Filed April lO, 1955 m s\ Q E EN@ Q Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITESTATES ariane STOKER Application April 10,

8 Claims.

My invention relates generally to stokers for application to alocomotive and tender and more specifically to conveying and drivingmeans for stokers, such means comprising a plurality of 5 conveyingscrews arranged with two of the screws having independent driveconnections at their rearward ends.

It has been usual, in stokers embodying a con- Veying and driving systemof the type described, to offset the adjacent ends of the conduitshousing the independently driven screws or to have one conduit deliverthrough a side of the adjacent end of another conduit. The presentinvention has for an object the provision of a novel form of conveyingand driving system of the type described wherein the conduits housingthe conveying screws are in endwise communication.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of a Stokerhaving a fuel receiving conduit on the tender, a fuel discharge conduiton the locomotive, and a transfer conduit therebetween, the conduitsbeing in endwise communication at their adjacent ends, a conveying screwin each of the conduits, the screw in the discharge conduit being drivenindependently of the screws in the receiving and transfer conduits, withno part of the driving mechanism for the screw in the discharge conduitdisposed on the locomotive between the frame and the bottom of thedischarge conduit.

To the above and other ends the invention consists in the arrangement ofparts and in their relation and association one with the other or incombination as hereinafter described and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal, vertical, central section of adjacent portionsof a locomotive and tender with the novel Stoker applied thereto andshown in elevation with parts broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stoker structure shown in Fig. 1.

On the drawing, the locomotive and tender are represented generally bythe letters A and B, respectively, and the coupling member therebetweenpermitting articulation when the locomotive and tender are roundingcurves or passing over switches and turntables, is designated by theletter C. The locomotive A comprises a frame lil, a boiler ii providedwith a hollow backwall l2 having a firing opening i3, and a nrebox ist.The tender B includes a frame i5, a fuel bin it having a floor il whichis provided with a central longitudinally extending opening i8.

Fuel is conveyed from the tender fuel bin to 1935, Serial No. 15,516

(Cl. 19g- 15) the rebox Il-i by stoker mechanism indicated generally atS. The stoker mechanism S includes the fuel receiving or tender conveyorD mounted on the tender frame l5 beneath the fuel bin it to receive fuelthrough the opening i8, a delivery conveyor E mounted on the locomotiveand an intermediate conveyor F.

The delivery conveyor E includes an inclined conduit i9 communicatingwith the rebox I4 through the firing opening i3, and a fuel elevating orfuel conveying screw Z0 housed within the conduit i9 for delivering fuelto a distributing means 2| which is arranged to spread the fuel to allparts of the rebed. The lower rearward end of the conduit iii isprovided with a spherical split flange 22?.. The conduit i9 and itsele-- vating screw 2t are preferably mounted so that their respectiveaxes lie substantially in the vertical medial plane of the locomotiveand tender.

The fuel receiving or tender conveyor D iny cludes the trough-likeconduit 23 and a fuel conveying screw 24 mounted therein for advancingfuel therethrough. The trough-like conduit 23 and the conveying screw 24are also preferably mounted so that their respective axes liesubstantially in the vertical medial plane of the locomotive and tender.The tender conveyor D is also provided with a tubular portion 25 commu--nicating with and extending forwardly from the open forward end of thetrough-like conduit 23. A spherical split flange 26 is provided at theforward end of the tubular portion 25.

Fuel passes from the tender conveyor D to the delivery conveyor Ethrough the intermediate conveyor F. The conveyor F includes the conduit2'! consisting of the telescoping conduit sections 23 and 29 provided attheir remote ends with the ball members Sii and 3|, respectively, whichmembers are arranged to be received in the spherical split flanges 22and 2t, respectively, forming universal connections at 32 and 33. Theconduits i9, Z3 and il are connected in endto-end relation, and thetelescoping feature of the intermediate conduit 2l, together with theuniversal connections at 32 and 33, provides for the necessaryarticulation between the Stoker conduit sections when the locomotive andtender are rounding curves or passing over switches and turntables.Mounted within the intermediate conduit 2l is a fuel conveying screw 34,the rearr ward end of which is connected to the conveying screw 2G; by auniversal joint 35, while the forward end thereof is free and spacedapart from the lower rearward end of the elevating screw 2).

The drive means for conveying screws of the stoker includes the primemover 36, a gear train 31 housed within the casing 38 at the rear of thetrough-like conduit 23, and suitable shafting which connects the primemover 36 with the conveying screws 20 and 24 for operating the same. Thegear train 31 comprises the main gear 39 loosely mounted on the shaft 49of the conveying screw 24', a pinion gear 4| which meshes with the maingear 39 and, is driven directly by the prime mover 36 through the shaft42, and a gear 43 meshing with the main gear 39 and having operativelyassociated therewith the shafting 44 which is flexibly connected withthe shaft 45 of the elevating screw 26 for operating, the same. Theshafting 44 includes the telescopic shaft46 and a shaft 41 universallyconnected at 48 to the elevating screw shaft 45 and connected to thetelescopic shaft 46 by a double universal joint 49.

The inclined conduit I9 is provided with a lateral opening 50immediately forward of the spherical flange 22 arranged to be closed bya cover 5|. A sleeve 52 passes diagonally through the cover 5| forming abearing for the shaft 41. The cover 5| is secured to the inclinedconduit I9 by any suitable means, such as bolts 53, and the sleeve 52 isformed with the cover 5| or may be rigidly secured thereto in any wellknown manner.

On one side, the main gear 39 carries clutch teeth 54 which are normallyengaged by clutch teeth 55 of the clutch member 56. The clutch member 56is operatively mounted on the shaft 40 andslidable therealong by theshifting yoke 51 for selectively engaging or disengaging the clutchteeth 54 and 55.

In the normal operation of the device, the clutch member 56 is moved toa position causing the clutch teeth 55 to engage the clutch teeth 54,thereby operatively connecting the main gear 39 to the shaft 4D.Operation of the prime mover 36 sets the entire gear train 31 in motionwhereby the main gear 39 rotates the conveying screw 24 and itsconnected conveying screw 34, and the gear 43 operates the elevatingscrew 20 by means of the shafting 44. Fuel drops through the opening I8into the trough-like conduit 23 and is urged forwardly through the.trough-like conduit 23 and the intermediate conduit 21 by the conveyingscrews 24 and 34. The conveying screws 24 and 34 force the fuel throughthe lower portion of the inclined conduit I9 into the zone of action ofthe elevating screw 20, which elevates the fuel to the distributingmeans 2| for delivery to the rebox.

At times extraneous material in the fuel will become lodged between thecrusher 58 and the conveying screw 24, rendering the entire conveyingmechanism inoperative. The fireman may, by shifting the clutch member5S, disengage the clutch teeth 55 from the clutch teeth 54, therebydisconnecting the shaft 46 and the conveying screws 24 and 34 fromoperative relation with the gear train 31. The gear train 31, however,remains in operative relation with the elevating screw 26 and fuel maycontinue to be delivered to the rebox by raising the hinged cover 59over the hopper 60 formed in the inclined conduit I9 and manuallyintroducing fuel into the hopper 6U.

While the novel conveying system and driving arrangement therefor hasbeen described in connection with a locomotive Stoker, its applicationis not limited to such installations.

I claim:

l. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including aconduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fueldischarge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwisecommunication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receivingand transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fueldischarge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidfuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at itsforward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw insaid fuel dis-` charge conduit'portion, driving means for saidv screws,a shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screwconveying means in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of saidconduit and shafting at one end universally' connected with the screw inthe discharge portion of said conduit and at the other end operativelyconnected with said driving means.

2. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including aconduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fueldischarge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwisecommunication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receivingand transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fueldischarge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidfuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at itsforward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw insaid fuel discharge conduit portion, means for operating said screwsincluding gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit,a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw conveyingmeans in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit andshafting extending lengthwise exteriorly of the fuel receiving andtransferring portion of said conduit operatively connecting said gearingWith the conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit.

3. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including aconduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fueldischarge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwisecommunication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receivingand transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fueldischarge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidfuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at itsforward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw insaid fuel discharge conduit portion, means for operating said screwsincluding gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit,a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw conveyingmeans in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit,and shafting including a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of thefuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operativelyconnected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft universallyconnected at one end with said last named shaft and universallyconnected at its other end with the conveying screw in the fueldischarge portion of said conduit.

4. In a locomotive and tender, a Stoker comprising a rearward conduitsection on the tender,

a forward conduit section on the locomotive and,

an intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with saidrearward conduit section and at its opposite end flexibly connected withsaid forward conduit section, said conduit sections being arranged inendwise communication, a conveying screw in said forward conduitsection, a conveying screw in said rearward conduit section and aconveying screw in said intermediate conduit section flexibly connectedat one end with the screw in said rearward conduit section and at itsother end being free and spaced from the rearward end of the screw insaid forward conduit section, means for operating said conveying screwsincluding gearing at the rear of said rearward conduit section, a shaftoperatively connecting said gearing with the screw in said rearwardconduit section, and shafting extending lengthwise exteriorly of therearward and intermediate conduit sections operatively connecting saidgearing with the screw in said forward conduit section.

5. In a locomotive and tender, a Stoker comprising a rearward conduitsection on the tender, a forward conduit section on the locomotive andan intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with saidrearward conduit section and at its opposite end flexibly connected withsaid forward conduit section, said conduit sections being arranged inendwise communication, a conveying screw in said forward conduitsection, a conveying screw in said rearward conduit section and aconveying screw in said intermediate conduit section flexibly connectedat one end with the screw in said rearward conduit section and at itsother end being free and spaced from the rearward end of the screw insaid forward conduit section, means for operating said conveying screwsincluding gearing at the rear of said rearward conduit section, a shaftoperatively connecting said gearing with the screw in said rearwardconduit section, and shafting includng a shaft extending lengthwiseexteriorly of the rearward and intermediate conduit sections operativelyconnected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft universallyconnected at one end with said last named shaft and universallyconnected at its other end with the screw in said forward conduitsection.

6. In a conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferringportion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged inendwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within thereceiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw inthe discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidreceiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward endand spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in saiddischarge conduit portion, said discharge conduit portion being providedwith a lateral opening near its rearward end, driving means for saidscrews, a

shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveyingmeans in the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit andshafting passing through said lateral opening at one end flexiblyconnected with the screw in the discharge portion of said conduit and atthe other end operatively connected with said driving means.

7. In ya conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferringportion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged inendwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within thereceiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw inthe discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidreceiving and transferring conduit portion being free Kat its forwardend and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in saiddischarge conduit portion, said discharge conduit portion being providedwith a lateral opening near its rearward end, means for operating saidscrews including gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of saidconduit, a shaft operatively connecting said driving means with thescrew conveying means in the receiving and transferring portion of saidconduit, and shafting including a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorlyof the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operativelyconnected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft passingthrough said lateral opening at one end flexibly connected with thescrew in the discharge portion of said conduit and at the other endoperatively connected with said gearing.

8. In a conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferringportion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged inendwise communication, screw conveyng means disposed within thereceiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw inthe discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in saidreceiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward endand spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in saiddischarge conduit portion, a sleeve extending through a side wall of thedischarge conduit portion, means for operating said screws includinggearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit, a shaftoperatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveying meansin the receiving Iand transferring portion of said conduit and shaftingincluding a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of the receiving andtransferring portion of said conduit operatively connected at one endwith said gearing and a second shaft mounted in said sleeve at one endflexibly connected with the screw in the discharge portion of saidconduit and at the other end operatively connected with said gearing.

WASHINGTON T. CAPPS.

